My daughter came home eager to get her homework project done, which is rare, so I was going with it…careful not to say anything, in fear it would break the momentum.
With excitement she quickly muttered all the instructions of her homework. “I need to find an animal that describes me. There are certain animals that stand for certain things. Like an eagle stands for clear vision and soaring spirit. I’m not going to choose that animal, that’s just an example. So I need to choose an animal that symbolizes ME.”
Inquisitive, I asked her, “So what animal are you going to choose?”
She sincerely as could be answered, “Well….is there an animal that symbolizes anxious or worried or something like that.”
My heart broke.
I see a charismatic, fun, enthusiastic, passionate, loving, compassionate, stubborn, strong willed, thoughtful, athletic, pleasing, courageous, leader and she saw anxiety.
I couldn’t get it out quick enough, “YOU are not anxiety. Anxiety does not define you. You sometimes feel anxiety, but that is NOT who YOU are. Anxiety is an outside thing you have to deal with, but it’s not YOU. Find an animal the symbolizes YOU! What are some of your characteristics and qualities?
The passionate enthusiastic girl I could see, started looking at herself differently. She started seeing the qualities that really are who she is. I could see her grow with each animal she saw that had a characteristic that resembled her.
My daughter almost let anxiety define her, but in the end, she realized she was a cougar – leadership, courage, power, swiftness and balance.
We can never let our weaknesses, our trials, our shortcomings, our diagnoses or our insecurities define us or our children. Those are outside layers that we can peel off. It is not who we are! We are the gem on the inside, packed with potential!
We are eagles, beavers, bears, buffalo, coyotes, butterflies, hawks, humming birds, horses and cougars.
We are all different.
We are all needed and we are all beautiful! We each bring something to society that another can’t.
Remember to not get caught in the deceptive trap of defining yourself by your diagnoses, trials, or insecurities, define yourself by your God given talents and qualities because that’s how God defines you.
And what else really matters?
-Lindsey
This article appeared first on Real Imprints.